Memphis earned a comeback win, while UCF and USF split a doubleheader in American Athletic Conference baseball action on Saturday, April 17.

Saturday, April 17
UCF 5, USF 4 (Game 1 - 10 innings) - Box Score
USF 11, UCF 0 (Game 2) - Box Score
Memphis 7, Cincinnati 5 - Box Score

UCF 5, USF 4 (Game 1 - 10 innings) - Box Score
USF 11, UCF 0 (Game 2) - Box Score
Orlando, Fla. – The UCF baseball team clinched the War On I-4 series with a game one walk off win (5-4) over South Florida, as well as the all-sports season series. The Knights would split the doubleheader with the Bulls, falling in game two of the day.
 
Game 1
Freshman John Montes gave the Knights their first lead in the second inning, with a two-RBI single to right field. South Florida answered with a three-run home run, in their half of the fifth which was followed up by a solo shot two batters later to extend the lead to 4-2.  
 
In the sixth, Andrew Brait singled to right, driving in McCabe for his fourth RBI of the year. Two batters later, Montes earns another RBI to tie the game, after beating out a double play to keep the inning alive – allowing Alex Freeland to score.
 
Ben Vespi came out of the bullpen to stifle the charging Bulls, tossing 3.0 IP in the heart of this one, striking out six batters and not allowing any runs.
 
Neither team were unable to break the stalemate before the end of nine innings, pushing the game into extras. With a runner placed on second to start the inning, Josh Crouch drove in the winning run to secure the War on I-4 title.

Game 2
Riley Hogan Hogan started the fireworks in the nightcap with a solo home run in the top of the first inning, and the Bulls never looked back in a completely dominant effort on both sides of the ball.

Playing in his hometown, Hogan stretched the USF lead to 3-0 with a two-run single on his next trip to the plate and added an RBI-double in the fifth frame.

Brutcher, Cortez, Nick Gonzalez (Tampa), Carmine Lane (Lake Placid) and Matt Ruiz (Hialeah) each tallied at least one RBI in the finale. Brutcher and Lane had two hits apiece.

On the mound, four USF hurlers combined on a five-hit shutout. Brad Lord (Crawfordville) did a bulk of the pitching and picked up the win in his most impressive outing to date. Lord (2-3) allowed just three hits and struck out five batters over 6.0 IP.

Orion Kerkering (Venice) tossed a scoreless inning to start the game, while Caleb Pundsack (Groveland) and Connor Churchill (Tampa) kept the Knights off the scoreboard in relief of Lord.
?
Memphis 7, Cincinnati 5 - Box Score
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Down 4-0 after 1.5 innings, the Memphis Tigers struck for a run in the second, another in the third, and four in the sixth, as they rallied from the early deficit and beat the Cincinnati Bearcats 7-5. Ian Bibiloni robbed Eric Santiago of a three-run home run in the sixth to keep the Tigers within striking distance, and then followed with a two-run, single in the home half of the frame that pulled the Tigers within a run.
 
After early leads in both games of Friday's doubleheader, both losses, the Tigers trailed 3-0 before stepping into the batter's box in the third game of the series. Landon Kelly (ND) retired the first man he faced, but then surrendered five straight singles, as Santiago, Paul Komistek, and Ryan Nicholson each tallied an RBI base hit in succession. An inning later, an RBI double from Joey Bellini made it 4-0 Cincinnati (15-17, 4-7). Kelly allowed four runs on seven hits in two innings.
 
The Tigers struck in the second and third against Beau Keathley (ND). Evan Bell launched a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning, while Alec Trela made it a two-run game with an RBI single in the third frame. Keathley left in the sixth inning with the lead, but Memphis (12-21, 2-9) got to Dean McCarthy (L, 2-3) in the inning.
 
With the Cincinnati starter still on the mound, two of the first three Tigers to bat in the sixth reached base, which knocked Keathley out of the game. Bibiloni greeted the McCarthy with a two-run single, which cut the Cincinnati lead to 5-4. After Braden Webb drew a walk, a balk from the McCarthy put men at second and third base for Zach Wilson, who gave the Tigers the lead with a two-run single. Memphis led 6-5 after six innings.
 
Memphis' bullpen was tremendous in relief of Kelly. Carson Stinnett allowed just one unearned run over 3.1 innings, while Bailey Wimberley (W, 2-0) retired all five batters that he faced. Takoda Metoxen (SV, 3) entered to begin the eighth and struck out three, as he closed out Memphis' 7-5 win.